Improved beigk-peess



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. R. GARD.

B-RIGK PRESS.

No. 65,069. Patented May 2a, 1867.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. R. GARD.

BRICK PRESS.

Patented May 28, 1867.

@with tsts atrnt EMERY R. GARD, Oli'A CHICAGO,v ILLINOIS. Lettera Patent No. 65,069, dated May 28,*18li7.

IMPROVED' BnIcKPREss.

@La Srhrhnlc nicht tu in' tiger gicttcrs ntrut mit mailling nu nf tlgc 5mm.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONGERN:

Be it known that I, EMERY It. GARD, of Chicago, in the county ot' Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented van improved Brick-Press; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification- Figure 1 beings. top view of the press.

Figure 2, a rear elevation thereof.J

Figure 3, a central vertical section of themould-wheell track and adjacent parts.

Figure 4 a. side' view of one of the mould-followers.

Figure 5, a transverse vertical section of lthe follower.

Figure 6, a transversevertical section of the pressure-.bar or bearing, and adjacent parts.

Figure-7, a transverse vertical section of one of tho mould-lids.

Figure 8, a vertical section of the bearing-box of the mou1dwheel friction-roller.

Figure 9, a horizontal section of a follower of improved construction.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the igures.

My improved brick-press is of that class which a horizontal revolving mould-wheel, B, provided with concentric mould-mortises. extending through its entire thickness, and followers, S S, sliding up and down 'ther-ein, the said followers riding upon a circular or annular-track, F. These general parts're'quireno description, except in particulars of improvement which I have made upon them. The whole machinery is mounted in-a'suitable frame, A, of no peculiar construction. The revolving mould-wheelv B\ is secured to a vertical shaft, (Lto the top of which horse, steamo'r water-power is applied, the crankD representing in general any Xineans of communicating the power to the machine. Each follower has a roller, U, which carries it on the track F, being rounded somewhat in the middle, so as to hear centrally on said track, and, to rendcr'the track more iirm and durable, the central part thereof, on which the rollers bear, or a portion of the same where the most strain comes, is chilled or faced with steel. The' portion G of the track on which the followers travel 'while the pressure is applying is not only adjustable up and down, but is made yielding and elastic by means of India-rubber springs H H, or their equivalent, en which the said adjustable part of the track rests. The arrangement shown iu iig. 2 is suitable for applying the adjustment and the spring or springs. Two screwbolts I I compose the bearings for the track-block G, and they have nuts g g, which serve for the adjustment. These nuts bear on Washers h 7L,- aud the latter on the yIndia-rubi)er springs, which lrest on abcam of the frame. Y Nuts z'z' under the beam serve to keep the bolts I I in place, and to determine the degreco' compression given to the India-rubber spring. Any other suitable kind orarrangement of springs may be substituted for that specified. ,Thel track-block is suitably heldl and guided in 'the framework of the machine. There are two flanges or lips, ff, projecting froml the upper edge of the track F, one outside, and the other inside'thereof. These flanges extendthc whole circurufere'ncooic the track, or nearly so, having only some part omitted to allow thewitbdrawal and insertion of the followers S S through the moulds. Under these flanges travel respectively two friction-rollers u u, pivotedto two downwardprojections of each folldwer S, substantially as shown in gs. 3 and 4. These rollers and track flanges not only serve to draw the followers down into the moulds, after the same are raised to expel the pressed bricks, but serve-at alltimes to keep the followers in their proper positions in the moulds. The rollers, used instead of hooks, scarcely add to the friction of the machine, as ordinarily they are eithcrnot at allor only slightly in contact with the flanges. They are of especial advantage, in addition to their use in drawing the followersdown into the moulds, for preventing the drawing out of the followers when the bricks are tilted therefrom upon their edges. In drawing the followers down into themoulds, the lids thereof'arc closed by the edges of the moulds, and these friction-rollers render this work easy. Thus, all danger of breaking off the lids, from not being closed, is obviated. These flanges for the track throughout its extent add to the bearing surface thereof, and to itsistrength. The roller U has itsjournals 'w w in removable bearing-blocks V V, which are rea'dily'takcn out and reinscrted sidewiso in the follower, as indicated in iigs. 3, 4, and 5. They are held in place by'pins or bolts e e. The benring-blocks are hollow, or have oil-cavities in them, as seen in iig. 3; and these cavities are filled with cotton or other suitable fibrous or s'pongy material, i'o absorbing the oil and supplying it constantly, by capillary action, to the journals of the roller. The oilsis introduced-into--thecavities tlnreugh holes o o from the top-of` ,the follower. '.lhus, the rollers are kept lubricated for along time without the trouble of frequently taking out the followers from the machine vfor that purpose. I have an improved construction of the follower S, as represented in fig. 3 'at the left hand, and in fig. 9. There is a lid or cap, X, placed npon the top W of the follower, there being washers :u 2:, say at each corner, as in iig. 9, between the cap and-top, of variable thickness and number, so as to adjust the thickness of the brick without alteringthe track below, 4and also to malle and keep the lower surface of' the bricks at right angles to their edges, and all their parts of even thickness.l l The lid or cap may beheld in Vplace-by a single screw, c, inthe centre, and the washers may be kept in place' by plus passing Athrough themLas seen in fig. 9. The lid, as here shown, does not turn up, but a lid for that purpose may be attached above the adjustable top.

. I cover Athe lids or tops ofthe followers with buekskin, or Aother porous leather. I find that this makes a good surface to prevent adhesion of the clay, and to allow the air to escape 4from under 4the bricks when placed in the mould. The moulds are covered with hin'ged lids P P before applying the pressure. There are frictionrollers pp in the tops of the lids to diminish the friction when the lids pass under the pressure-bar or bearing M. Tov each lid is attached a double-armed cam, R, thelower a'rin r of which strikes a projection, O, on the frame, for turningy frown the lids before they pass under the pressure-beam, and the upper arm s lhereof strikes another stop or projection, Q, on the other side of the frame to raise the lids after passing under the pressureu bearing, and before the bricks are raised from the moulds.

The `pressure-boering M holds the lids4 firmly down upon the mould-Wheel while the pressure is applied tothe followers below'by thcpressnre portion G- of the truck. The pressure-bearing M is adjusted by a screw, d, and wheel, N, and secured by a key, m., as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 6. The follower' lids are raised to turn the bricks upon edge' by sliding pins y y in the respective followers, whiclrare raised at the proper time by a earn, T, fig. 3, inside thetraek F, and thus push the lids'upward, as indicated invfig. 5. At ,the point where the extreme pressure is vgiven to the bricks -it is desirable, if not necessary, to firmly 'support the mould-wheel B so that it will not yield. In order to do this, and at the same time to avoid undue friction, I employ a supporting roller, L,'just opposite to the point of extreme pressure, substantially as represented.l And in order to give vas much extent of bearing as may be upon this roller, I form a projecting rim, b, on the lower edge of the mould- '-wheeh -lliis rim maybe of ogee form, as indicated, or other form convenient. In the bearing-block of this roller there is an oil-cavity, Y, lig. 8,v of any form or position, below or nearthe journal Z ofl the roller, and a' passage, Ic, leads down through thc cap K of the block thereto for admitting oil into the cavity. There is a cotton wick or cotton fibre, or,4 equivalent substance, reaching up from `the 'oil-cavity to the journal to -keep it lubricated for a long time, without renewal or waste of'oil, and requiring attention only at long intervals.l

What I claim as my invention, and desireto secure lby Letters Patent, is l 1. A follower S, provided-with one or more rollers u u running under and in 'combination with flanges ff projecting from the track nearly along its entire length, substantially as and for the, purposes herein specified.

2. I also claim the removablejournals V V for the supporting roller U of each follower, the said bearings being provided with oil-cavitiesfor containing oil and some vporous or-capillary substance to keep the journals constantly lubricated, substantially as herein set forth.

3. I also claim anv adjustable top or lid, X, for the followers by means of thye washers n: :15,01` any equivalent thereof, for the purposes herein described. l

'4. I also claim the combination of theA projecting rim b of the mouldfwheel und the supporting roller L, 'for the purpose set forth.

5. I also claim the self-lubricatingjournal-box of the roller L, constructed substantially as herein specified.v

6. I also claim the adjustable pressure portion Gr of the track, when combined with India-rubber or equivalent springs H H, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

The above specification' of [my improved brickfpress signed by me this 29th day of January, .1867.

- EMERY R. GARD. Witnesses:

JULIUs KATz, Jona Pnnscor. 

